Cooking with Mom

I recently subscribed to the new magazine by Highlights called High Five which is for preschoolers.  I really love this magazine and so does Reagan.  It only takes us about two nights to get through it, wish it was longer, but we both enjoy the stories.  At the end of each issue there is a kid friendly recipe.  This month it was for cinnamon critters.  Reagan asked if we could make them the night before.  I said yes and of course she didn't forget when she got home.  I love how easy it was to make and that she could help with all the steps.  Even better was that they tasted fantastic!!!

Park with Madison

It's very rare that I am able to spend time with just Madison.  I tried on Madison's birthday to keep her at home with me but Reagan cried for two hours at school for me to come get her.  Today, Andy took Reagan with him to her soccer game and it gave me a chance to take Madison to the park.  She walked the entire way and almost the entire way home.  I still have to urge Reagan to walk so I was shocked when she kept walking without whining.  I knew she wanted to go to the park even though she didn't say it because she was determined to get there.  It was so cute as I asked her if she wanted to turn around and she kept saying, "no, mama."  She quit on her stroller so I was left to carry it.  Once at the park she played on everything.  Her favorite is the swing.  She could swing forever I am convinced.  She did great!  She even didn't throw a fit when I told her it was time to go.  A big plus in my book and one of the reasons why we don't visit the park more is due to the fits that Reagan has had in the past.  What a great day with my little one who is growing up so fast.

"Sit down mama, sit down."  My reply, "Sorry Madison, mommy is too big."

Reagan's 4th Birthday

October 6th 2011

Madison's 2nd Birthday

September 30, 2011

Watching Sesame Street one of her favorites on her birthday.

Licking the bowl for mom while she was baking cupcakes for school.

Sesame Placee -2011 Summer Vacation

Family Photo with Cookie

First off I just wrote this blog and went to erase one picture and the whole thing went into cyberworld.  Arghhh!  This has happen before except with just the photos, not the words.  Ok, back to the post.

Andy and I decided to take the kids on a family vacation this year.  He only has three available weeks to take so I had plenty of time to plan out where the perfect place to take a 20 month and 3 year old.  Madison is still taking one nap a day so I had to keep this in mind.  I heard about a Sesame through online blogs.  Both the girls love the characters and watch the show weekly.  Madison is in love with Elmo and Reagan loves Big Bird.  I went to the site in March and found a great deal for a hotel rate and season pass.  I wasn't thinking a season pass but it was well worth it.  We were able to spend four days at the park, get in quickly with a separate entrance, 35% off any purchase in the park, and our kids got in free to the character dining.  Plus our hotel had a reliable shuttle to and from the park and dinner for us Monday and Wednesday night.  Not to mention the great breakfast in the lobby where they played kid movies each morning.  The only thing I would have changed if I had known was that our suite was an open floor plan.  I was hoping for the bedroom to be closed off but they were completely out once we realized what kind of room we had.  Still it had a kitchen and living room so we were happy.  

We woke up early and left the house around 5am.  The kids were excited so were wide awake.  After many stops (more than I would ever take, but Andy travels different from me), we finally made it to our hotel around 3pm.  We relaxed, ate, and headed over to the park on the shuttle.  It was fun to see the place and to get an idea of the lay out.  We headed straight over to the dry rides.  After the carousel, we went to Elmo Live.

Then on to some rides before we were all exhausted.  No one was staying for the parade tonight.  Off to the hotel we went.  The next morning the girls were super excited.  Here they are waiting for the shuttle.  Reagan found a friend and Madison was intrigued by the automatic doors.

The day was spent on the dry rides and shows.  Madison went back with Dad to the hotel for a nap and we met up for our free dinner before heading back for the parade.  I was amazed at how many rides the kids had to be only so tall to even go on.  The park is really made for 2-7 year olds, except for the water portion.  We spent only one day at the water park on Tuesday because Reagan was terrified of going down the rides.  We did get her to go on the one with the family in the tube and the lazy river.  However, the other ones, I had to take my baby Madison with me.  She loved the water rides and was not scared at all.  Madison also doesn't mind water squirting in her eyes so the water work towers she loved while Reagan tended to like the wading pools more. they are so different!

Cookie's Tower Climb, Reagan's all time favorite.  She did this everyday.

The kids climb up to the top and then slide down.

Madison's attempt, :)

Elmo's tower drop.  Even Madison rode this and loved it.

I love this photo of Reagan on the twirling balloons.  She was having so much fun!!!

Of course, my kids loved the shows too:

And the  characters:

The Parade:

More to come, tired and going to bed

Tweetsie

Tweetsie Railroad

Boone, North Carolina

Panning for gold with Papa

The Rides

The Show

The Mouse Train

Feeding the Animals

My good ole Dad loves to have the family up for a grand time at the beloved Tweetsie Railroad.  I have been going to Tweetsie since I was a kid nearly every year until about the age of 12.  I had not been back until the summer before Reagan turned two.  Reagan luckily has fallen into my childhood footsteps and has attended Tweetsie every year making this her third time.  However, this year she was incredibly thrilled because her baby sister was old enough to go with her.  It was so neat to look back at the photos of when Reagan was Madison's age and reminiscing about her likes/dislikes.  


Madison who is completely opposite of Reagan in almost every way but her looks, loved the rides!  The faster and higher the better she took to them.  Reagan was not such a fan, but is getting better.  The one thing they both had in common were the shows.  Both my girls have always loved watching live shows.  They will sit for hours in amazement.  The girls also loved the mouse train at the top of the mountain.  The train goes through a tunnel and then plays a little song while the train stops in a black lit glow around the mice characters in a cheese factory.  It's cute for the kids.


The weather was perfect for us as well.  We had a cloudy day that brought relief from the hot sun.  After riding the rides and watching a show we went to see the animals.  The kids love to feed the animals.  Reagan likes the Llamas for an unknown reason.  Madison liked the goats the most.  The baby goats could squeeze through the fence and so you were able to pet them really easily.  This was a great experience for the girls.  


We wrapped up our day with a ride on the actual Tweetsie Railroad.  This has never been a highlight for Reagan but more of a way to cool down and take a nap.  Madison, also did not enjoy the train.  She hates to be constrained down for a long period of time and so it was all I could do to not let her jump out for thirty minutes.  Reagan did much better this year with the Cowboy and Indians.  She did not get scared and actually followed the story line much to my surprise.  She asked a lot of questions about why the Indians were so mean.  Andy and I thought this was humorous seeing how she is 50% Native American herself with her Dad being full-blooded.  We had to give her a history lesson on that one, ;).  


After, Tweetsie we headed to Makato's, a japaneese steak house, yummy!  Then up to the lot where my Dad and brother are building a mountain house that looks right out at Sugar mountain.  So far they have the well in place, a driveway, the lot cleared, and a house plan.  Dad has been doing a lot of work clearing the land and landscaping the front side.  It looks great!  It is going to be such a great vacation spot for us one day!

My favorite photo from the day.

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